New logo approved

The City Council on Tuesday night chose a new logo for Peoria to replace the Indian-head logo. The new logo is pictured to the right. It’s blue, green, and yellow, and features silhouettes of the twin towers, Commerce Bank building, and Murray Baker bridge. The city paid Converse Marketing $30,000 to design the new logo.

But the real costs will come later as vehicles, stationery, buildings, etc., all have the logo replaced on them. The city doesn’t have the money for that, so the plan is to phase in the new logo over time. That means we’ll be seeing both logos for a while.

Thanks, Karrie, we have to laugh sometimes, but the truth is, it’s sad. This City (the whole country, for that matter) has real problems, and these people are spending time and money on a new logo. So what if Peoria didn’t have a logo at all? What difference would it make? How many people struggling to pay their bills, facing crime in their neighborhood, trying to get their kids through school, or worrying about what’s happening to their retirement accounts are going “WHOPPIE! Peoria has a new logo!” today? NONE. It’s way past time for WE THE PEOPLE to insist our “leaders” sober up and start confronting the realities ordinary people are dealing with.

Nevertheless, WE THE PEOPLE, rarely seem able to persuade any candidates who have backbone and common sense to run for elected office. I do not wish to be unkind or rude or insulting to the candidates or elected officials. I could write chapter and verse about just the few issues I have championed for which I have reams of paper to back my statements where promises are made and not delivered and the facts simply ignored.

Each new election cycle advances candidates who promise this and that and it all sounds so good, even raises our hopes that someone is here to turn the tide — alas, reality never matches the campaign hype.

I would not care if the candidate turned elected official voted “No” on every issue which wastes money, even if that person were the lone vote each time, actually it would be refreshing!

Agreed the logo is another money waster. So, what is to have a logo — to brand ourselves and fool the outsiders to get them here — to only have them drive around on our potholed streets, curbless grant sidewalks (think Antoinette), broken sidewalks, shuttered stores, rampant payday loan shops and so on. It is like the story of the Emperor’s New Clothes or being stuck in a Groundhog Day loop ad infinitum.

I am working on being a positive person —- politics just does not make me positive —- you sound the horn on the wall —- and they do not listen — and now fifteen years later — common sense is still not king of the day — we are extending deadlines for a worthless museum project which should have been dead on arrival.

I know that I keep asking this question — next year’s property tax bill will have increases for D150, D150 PBC bonding for schools, PPD, the library, and whatever else and then to add on the possible museum funding —- ugh! Many of us are trying to feed our families, stay warm, give to others in need and pay our mortgage on a modest home — get a clue — please EVERYONE in PEORIA COUNTy wake up and be prepared to vote NO! Oh, and please tell a friend to vote NO too!

Tulip: Thank for the offer — nevertheless declined. After my last big project — the Glen Oak School Debacle — my oldest son, now 18, asked me to promise him that I would not become involved in large political promises prior to his mission. I promised him and I will keep my promise.

We do need to find other candidates who become elected officials who would have backbone and common sense.

The new logo is “change” people. “change”. That is what Mayor Ardis called it. “change”. I wish I had the council minutes to quote it fully but when I heard his words on this my first thoughts were that this man is dyslexic, wears very dark tinted glasses, maybe blinders, or, is blind and has no vision at all for the city of Peoria.

“egnahc” means nothing, can produce nothing of import for Peoria just like the “change” in this city’s logo will do nothing for Peoria and its people.

Karrie, if you are going to be a politician you have to learn how to break promises (just kidding). It think it’s great you are committed to following through. In the meantime, I will say again what I have said before. Vote with your dollars. If you are buying stuff made in China at Walmart, you are part of the problem (I know, sometimes you need something that is only made in China, but let’s make sure before doing it). If your kids (or you) are patronizing the local drug dealer, you are subsidizing crime. If you are sending money to wealthy out-of-town “charities” instead of considering the needs of small local institutions, you are part of the problem. You vote everyday with your dollars. Where you spend your money matters more than who you vote for.